Susan Sarandon & Tim Robbins

The couple met for the first time when they were cast in the popular 1988 film “Bull Durham”. Sarandon’s character, Annie, falls for the lead, played by Kevin Costner, but in a clear case of life not imitating art, her heart went to supporting actor Tim Robbins, who made a play for her.

The lanky, laconic Robbins had recently made the jump to the big screen from a successful run guest-starring on numerous TV shows, but Sarandon was well known to audiences since the 1970s for her roles in the “The Great Waldo Pepper” opposite Robert Redford, and especially the cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”.

Although much has been made of their differences, primarily their ages—Sarandon is nearly a dozen years older than Robbins — it’s their similarities that are more abundant. Both were born in October, both raised in Roman Catholic families, both spent a prominent part of their childhoods in New York City, and both have Irish ancestry and come from large families. Although the nine children in her family trumps his four, both their fathers also worked and sang on the nightclub circuit when they were children.

They also both began their acting careers at an early age. Sarandon’s was kick-started at age 19 by accompanying her then-husband, actor Chris Sarandon, to an audition and landing a role. She kept his name after their 11-year marriage ended in 1979. But Robbins was a prince too—the Little Prince, performing in New York City as a youngster in the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry classic.

Nevertheless, when “Bull Durham” united them in 1988, something fell into place. Robbins became stepfather to her daughter by Italian director Franco Amurri and they added two collaborations of their own; sons Jack Henry and Miles. And although they have never officially wed, twenty years later, they are still going strong.

Part of this might be attributed to successfully combining their creative passions. Sarandon won an Oscar for her portrayal of Sister Helen Prejean in “Dead Man Walking”, which Robbins adapted for the screen and directed. And they have continued to work together in various capacities, such as Robbins’s films “The Cradle Will Rock” and “Bob Roberts”, among others.

But another tie that binds is their shared political views, and this has at times even eclipsed the creative work they do together. Although their Oscar gold shares the same space at home, the couple is apparently banned from sharing the stage at Oscar ceremonies after a political speech they made together at the 1992 Academy Awards involving the Haitian situation.

Overall, they seem to exemplify de Saint-Exupéry’s dictum, looking together toward a shared future, passionately positive about the world and their creative positions in it. It also probably doesn’t hurt that Sarandon calls Robbins, in lieu of husband, “hockey stud” in light of his passion for the game; they can often been seen in the greater New York area attending Rangers (as well as Mets) games. And in interviews, they’ve both cited “Bull Durham” as their favorite film. Wonder why?